


Blood and Bone (For the Roses)

by Green



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Disassociation, Fae & Fairies, Kidnapped Derek Hale, M/M, Mating Rituals, No Hale Fire, Uncle/Nephew Incest, Warning: Kate Argent, and they lived happily ever after
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27206830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green/pseuds/Green
Summary: After Derek is taken by the fae, he comes back different. Not bad, necessarily, but definitely not the same.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Peter Hale
Comments: 66
Kudos: 331
Collections: Teen Wolf Bingo





	Blood and Bone (For the Roses)

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Mal, Miss R, Nessa, Majoline, and CinnamonLily.
> 
> I have this marked as Underage but it's not really - that's just in case.
> 
> This is for the 'Fae' bingo fill on my teen wolf bingo card. It was supposed to be short.

As soon as Peter finds out about the agreement, he tries to stop it. It's his brother-in-law Joe who tells him, not Talia.

"Why didn't you stop them?" Peter asks. 

Joe picks his head up. "I did. Do you think I've never heard of the fae? I warned Talia. She told me I didn't know what I was talking about. She told me to stay out of it."

"Let's go," Peter growls.

"Where?" Joe asks.

"The nemeton, where else?" Peter says. "We go, you fill me in on everything."

Apparently, while Peter was away at college for the last two weeks, taking his exams, some fae hotshot came to tell Talia she owed them for fucking with the nemeton's balance. The fae had an agreement, one Talia hadn't known about, with Alan Deaton. He alone would maintain the nemeton, making sure it didn't become stronger. But when Paige died at the nemeton, it counted as a sacrifice, and now the nemeton is becoming some supernatural force in the region, messing with the treaty between the Hale pack and the fae. 

"I'm supposed to be told about these things. Why didn't anyone inform me of this agreement with the fae?" Peter asks Joe. Not that Joe would know.

"Deaton didn't tell Talia, either," Joe says.

"She'd better fucking fire him after this," Peter grumbles. "Okay, so then what happened?"

Joe explains what he knows. Two fae — tall, lithe, otherworldly creatures — showed up on their pack doorstep and demanded an explanation. Once Talia realized she'd inadvertently broken the treaty, she panicked and started agreeing to everything they said just to soothe them, because there is no way the Hale pack, as strong and large as they are, could fight the fae in an all-out battle, let alone a war, and come out as anything but dead.

The fae chose to focus on the reason for the break, which was Derek's mercy killing of his girlfriend. And therefore it was decided that Derek would accompany them to the otherworld for a time to serve a light sentence.

Peter stops in his tracks when he hears _that_. "You've got to be kidding me."

Joe shakes his head. "It's not for long. A week and a day, that's all. Derek will be back in a week and a day, they promised. I know they have to abide by that. I mean. Right?"

"You don't understand," Peter says, and starts running now. Joe tries to keep up, but even though he's in shape and fast for a human, he's no match for a determined — and frightened — werewolf.

* * *

Derek is standing beside his mother when Peter runs into the clearing. His heart is already going a mile a minute, and this new addition to the impromptu going away party is enough to make him even more anxious. Of course, it's Peter, so he brings chaos when he comes.

Peter makes his way straight to stand in front of them. His eyes are wild. He looks at Derek, and he smells like fear and panic.

"Talia, you can't agree to this," Peter says. "You don't know what it means."

"Who are you?" one of the fae, Elrinae, asks. He — or maybe she? — stares at Peter across the clearing from the other side of the nemeton. 

Peter turns, takes a short bow, and says, "I am the Left Hand. I need to speak with my nephew and sister."

"Time is running out," Elrinae's companion, who didn't give a name, says. She's rather imperious, and suspicious, and she smells to Derek like rotting roses. At least Elrinae smells like fresher things, like rosemary and basil. Neither of them is anything like Derek imagined fae to be.

Elrinae nods at Peter. "You have time to say goodbye."

Peter immediately turns back. "Talia, you can't let them take Derek. It may be a week to you, but to Derek— "

"Derek knew there would be consequences to what he did," Talia says. "I don't blame him for his blue eyes, but a week and a day is hardly a prison sentence."

"But it _is_ ," Peter whispers harshly. "Time moves differently in their world! A week and a day to us could be _years_ to them. You don't know what you're sending Derek into!"

Derek looks at his uncle, who he's been so angry with lately, who tricked him into putting Paige in danger. But Peter looks genuinely upset, and Derek is worried now about the things he's saying. 

"What will they do to me?" Derek asks Peter.

"He will be punished," Elrinae says, because they probably heard every word spoken.

Derek shivers and wraps his arms around his middle. "Mom?"

"It's already been agreed, they won't torture you or otherwise hurt you. They will bring you back without a single scratch on you."

"They said I'd be serving them," Derek tells Peter. 

Peter shakes his head. "I don't like this. We don't know enough about them, and what we do know isn't favorable." He's looking at Derek as if he'll disappear forever. "Look. I-"

"Peter, we don't have time for this. I'm trying to avoid an all-out war," Derek's mother says.

"Give me a moment alone with Derek, please," Peter says. It sounds more like a command than a question, which isn't how he's supposed to interact with his alpha, but he's always been unorthodox when dealing with her.

Derek steps away from his mother. He and Peter walk to the side, away from everyone. 

Peter reaches out and puts his hand on Derek's shoulder. "You have to be strong. You have to remember you have a pack, no matter what nonsense they try to put into your head. We love you. We're the ones who care about you."

"Do you really think I'll be there for years?" Derek asks, hating how his voice breaks on the question.

Peter's lips go thin. "I do. I don't know what they'll do, but the fae don't have the same morals as we do. They don't see mortals as people, see? Just playthings."

"I don't know what to do," Derek says. "I'm not strong like you or Mom."

"You are, I know you are," Peter says, gripping Derek's shoulder now. 

But Derek shakes his head. "My strength is the pack. And without the pack, what am I?"

Peter glances toward Talia and the two fae beings. He looks nervous and smells like something Derek can't recognize. "I know this is all my fault. I shouldn't have tried to talk you into anything. I was trying to kill a few birds with one stone, and I didn't stop to think who would get hurt. If I'd known you'd have to— If I'd known, I wouldn't have done it."

That's Peter. He's still more concerned with the fact that Derek had to kill than the fact that someone died. Derek has always had a hard time understanding Peter. 

But his apology is genuine. He really is sorry for the situation.

"I forgive you, Peter," Derek says. 

Peter looks bewildered. "You do?"

"Time to go," the nameless fae says.

Derek reaches out and pulls Peter in for a hug. He doesn't understand why he's always felt close to Peter, even though Peter does everything he can to discourage it. Derek knows part of the distance now is because Peter is the Left Hand of the pack, that wolves in that position are often treated as separate from the rest. But to Derek, he's like a brother or a best friend. 

Peter whispers frantically against Derek's ear. "Come back to me; don't you dare get yourself killed. Don't forget your pack. Don't forget who loves you."

Derek hugs tighter. "I love you too, Peter." Their pack bond, which has been feeling a bit ragged and dull lately, suddenly feels stronger, glowing faintly in Derek's mind.

Derek's dad is there now, still panting from his run, but he hugs Derek, too. Then Derek's mom takes his face in her hands. "I wish I could have prevented this."

"I know," Derek says. "I'll be fine." No one mentions the blip in his heartbeat.

She kisses his forehead and nods. "You're ready."

It's as much an alpha command as anything else. "Okay," Derek says, feeling nowhere near close to 'ready'.

When the portal opens, it's not as flashy as Derek thought it would be. There's no light emanating from it, not even a clearly defined edge. He knows it's there because of the slight shimmer of _wrong_.

As he's walking through, he turns his head back. He meets Peter's worried eyes, tries to give a reassuring smile. 

And then he is somewhere else, and the portal closes behind him with a sound like a gentle breeze.

* * *

Peter is done with college, now. His last finals were his _final_ finals, and he's free now to stay home fretting in his room. Oh, he tells his sister he's researching, and he does, a bit, but mostly he's just worrying over Derek. What is happening to the boy? Does he remember what Peter said? Is the memory of their pack enough to keep him going? And why does Peter feel like every moment Derek is gone is an eternity?

A week passes. Peter uses some of his frantic energy to start moving into the small cottage that used to be his grandmother's. It's only a quarter-mile from the main house, but that's far enough away to ensure privacy and security. Peter considers asking Alan to ward the place, but he's not completely sure about the Hale emissary at the moment. He's angry he didn't even mention to Talia that he made a deal with the fae, a deal the Hale pack would pay for if it's not upheld.

Another day passes, and it's time for Derek to come home. Talia has been in a worse temper than usual, and Joe has been morose. Laura's been worried, but not like the adults. Not like Peter.

Cora, Talia decided, is too young to know all the details, so they just told her Derek went on a short trip.

But he's coming back tonight. Peter, Talia, and Joe make their way to the same clearing, and then wait silently.

There is a sound like the rustling of leaves, and the air shimmers. At the exact time of day he left, Derek returns. He's alone. 

Talia rushes toward him and wraps her arms around him. Derek hugs back, but he's looking at Peter over her shoulder. There's something in his eyes that wasn't there before he left. Peter can't read him.

For the first time since his nephew was born, Peter has no idea what Derek is thinking. The thought chills him. He never realized before how tuned he was to Derek's feelings, to his mode of thought. It's only now that he can't see it that he realizes how much he relied on it, took it for granted.

Peter approaches Derek slowly, unsure of his welcome. Derek is still looking at him. 

"Welcome back," Peter says.

And then Derek smiles, and something in Peter's chest settles.

* * *

It's strange to be back. Derek looks everywhere, always expecting Kega to pop up and ask why he isn't working. His hands are clean, even his fingernails are free of dirt. It's odd, and unlike all that he's experienced for what feels like a long time.

Yes, it was a long time. He went through the portal the first time, crossing into the otherworld, as a boy. He may not have changed outwardly, but he did a lot of growing, a lot of changing. He can't be that boy again, not even for his mother. Not for Peter, either, who keeps watching him as if to figure him out (or maybe to find the boy he used to be somewhere inside him).

It's hard to sleep at night, under a roof, in a soft bed. It's expected of him, though, so he goes through the motions. 

He takes down the mirror in his room. Covers the one in the bathroom with a towel when he's in there.

He eyes freely-given food with suspicion. 

He has other habits too, ones even he can't make sense of, but seem to discomfit everyone else, too.

After four days, Derek can't take the inactivity anymore. He gets up at dawn and sneaks outside to his mother's garden. It's not as grand as Kega's, and it is only tended when Talia has time and inclination, so it needs a lot of care.

He gets to work immediately.

He's been digging and clipping and weeding and transplanting for two hours when his mother finds him. "Hon, what are you doing outside so early?" she asks.

Derek is used to trick questions. Isn't it obvious what he's doing? He's tending the garden. Working. He looks at his mother, looks at his dirty hands, and cocks his head at her.

Talia sighs. "Okay. I'll leave you to it. Come in when you want to eat breakfast." She leaves, obviously uncomfortable but not wanting to show it.

Derek goes back to work.

Another hour passes, and he realizes he's being watched. He turns his head, expecting Kega, but he should have known it would be Peter. Derek holds up his hand in a wave, acknowledging his uncle, but keeps his focus on the roses for now.

Peter comes closer. There's a stone bench nearby, and he sits on it. Derek isn't used to such prolonged attention. In the otherworld, he just wasn't important enough to be paid attention. He did his work, ate what he was given, slept at the end of the long days. It was rare for that monotony to be broken.

But with Peter, Derek is reminded that he is important. At least a little.

"Your mother thinks you should be the same boy you were when you left," Peter tells him, quiet conversation that should probably hurt him, but doesn't. How could he be the same?

Derek keeps tending the roses. They really would do better with blood and bone meal. He should look into getting some. He knows the local garden center should sell them.

"You came of age in the otherworld. How could you be the same, ever again?" Peter asks, echoing Derek's own thoughts on the matter. "I tried to tell her. I tried to tell her while you were gone, too. That you'd be changed."

Derek looks up, nods, and looks back down. A thorn pricks his thumb and he heals immediately. These aren't Kega's roses. Those thorns left wounds like an alpha's claws — deep and slow-healing. 

It's the little things like these minor injuries that keep him grounded in the here and now. He's not in the otherworld anymore. He can still be hurt, of course. Kega or some other Lord or Lady could cross over and come to him, if he does something he shouldn't. Like look too deeply into a mirror. Step into a fairy ring. Speak disrespectfully of the fae.

There are many ways. Derek knows a lot of them, many which were never written down or told in stories, even. Things the Fair Folk kept to themselves for centuries. Millenia. 

"Let's go for a walk, Pup," Peter says.

The words remind Derek of his time before the otherworld. There's always an ulterior motive to Peter's 'walks'. Derek used to find it annoying. Now, he's grateful for something that feels familiar. Not Peter, not the walk, but the double meaning behind it. He's grateful for Peter, though. He has the same kind of honesty that the Folk embody: twisted and double-edged. 

He remembers before he left, thinking that he'd never fully understand his uncle. Derek himself, as a boy, had been awkwardly earnest in a way that appalls him now. He wouldn't have lasted two days in the otherworld if he'd held onto that too tightly. Now, he thinks he's more like Peter. It would probably surprise his uncle if he said it, though.

"Do you want me to call you something other than your name?" is the first thing Peter asks him. "I can talk to your mother, get her to understand."

(Last night at dinner, where Derek had trouble touching the food at all, his father called him by name. Derek fled the room then, embarrassing himself and worrying the others, and didn't come back down until much later.)

"As a favor?" Derek asks suspiciously.

"As a courtesy," Peter says easily. 

Derek nods. "My use name in the otherworld is — _was_ — Tender." The Folk liked its many meanings. 

"Do you prefer that, or would you rather have something that doesn't remind you of the otherworld?"

"I'm no longer tendered payment for a mistake," Derek says. "And I'm not tending their gardens anymore."

"You aren't quite soft, either," Peter says with a smile.

"I remembered that you told me to be strong," Derek murmurs.

They walk on through the woods, and Derek realizes they are headed toward the old Hale cottage. No one has lived there since Derek's great-grandmother died. He played there as a child, though. He knows his mother sends someone in to clean it periodically and his father has been in charge of replacing old tiles on the roof or rotted planks on the porch. 

"So you need a new use name?" Peter asks.

"Maybe," Derek says. Truthfully, he hasn't thought about it except to get weird about his true name. "Let me know if you think of something."

They stop in front of the cottage. Peter says, "I'm moving in here soon."

It seems ideal. Still close enough to the pack house to be comfortable, yet far enough for privacy. Derek envies Peter for it.

Then Peter says, "If you ever need to get away from the pack house, you're welcome here with me."

Derek weighs that statement for double meanings, tries to find the trap. He looks at Peter's eyes and doesn't see deception. Then again, his uncle always had a good poker face.

"What do you want in return?" Derek asks, feeling wrong-footed and anxious.

"If you wash my dishes sometimes, we'll call it an even deal. Let's say twice a week?"

"Once a week," Derek counters. 

Peter looks pleased. "You may visit as often as you like, and wash the dishes once a week. We will reevaluate if you sleep over more than two nights a week."

"Deal," Derek says, relaxing. He doesn't feel the zing of magic he's used to when making a deal in the otherworld, but he knows that doesn't matter. He'll keep his end of the bargain as long as Peter's home is open to him.

Peter nods to himself. Derek looks at him curiously. 

Instead of explaining himself, Peter gestures at the swing on the front porch. "Here, come sit with me."

And this is how Derek ends up tucked against his uncle's side, rocking gently forward and back, not saying anything but soaking up the feeling of belonging. Peter runs his fingers through Derek's hair now and then, scenting him, and Derek realizes it's the longest prolonged touch he's had since his return. Since he left home for the otherworld, even. He's missed it. 

Derek relaxes in slow increments. He's safe. He's surrounded by Peter's scent, which has always meant understanding and belonging. Even when Peter was playing games, Derek's always felt loved. Peter shows it in strange ways, at times, but Derek comprehends it much more, now.

"You haven't been sleeping," Peter says after some long moments.

"Yes I have," Derek counters. Not much, but some.

"You haven't been sleeping _enough_ ," Peter amends. "I've heard you at night."

"Then you haven't been sleeping enough, either," Derek says.

"I know why I've been awake," Peter says. "Why have you?"

Derek goes quiet, thinking. It's not that he doesn't know. It's that he's not sure how to voice his fear, his dread.

"What will make you feel safe again?" Peter asks. And somehow, with that, he's hit the problem head on. It's almost frightening how well he read the situation.

"I don't know if I can," Derek whispers. It's not so much that the fae hurt him. It's that they could. And still can, if that's their whim.

Peter presses him closer and kisses his hair. "Close your eyes, sweetheart. Get some rest while you can. We'll figure it out."

* * *

Derek dreams, or at least Peter assumes he does. He twitches and smells scared, and sad, and Peter can only hold him and murmur to him.

"You're home, Pup. You're safe, now," Peter keeps repeating, running his free hand through Derek's hair. The boy won't settle, though.

"I'm not, though," Derek whispers. "I'm not safe."

"Why, Pup?" Peter asks.

"She could still come get me," Derek says. He smells of terror when he says it.

"Who?" Peter asks.

Derek shakes his head. "Saying her name would invite her here."

"Can you write it down?" Peter asks.

Derek slumps. Eventually, though, he spells out a name on Peter's denim-clad leg with his finger. K-E-G-A.

"If she comes here, how will I know it's her?" Peter asks. "Describe her."

"She smells of rotting roses," Derek whispers. "She can alter her appearance."

"She was here, wasn't she?" Peter asks. Derek stiffens, and Peter could hit himself. "I mean when they came for you. She was the one who didn't give a name?"

Moment by moment, Derek relaxes again. "Yeah."

"That's not her real name, is it?" Peter asks.

Derek shakes his head. "Even the Fair Folk have use names. True names are too powerful."

"And they used yours," Peter murmurs.

But Derek surprises him. "I never gave them my middle name. They didn't have complete control of me, not… not my pack bonds, or my soul or my wolf."

"We'll erase your middle name from existence," Peter says. "No one will use it against you."

"She acted like she hated me," Derek says suddenly. "She taunted me all the time about Paige, at least at first. She would try to make me cry, or lose control. She was there all the time, when I wasn't working. Sometimes when I was." It hadn't lasted more than the first year. Once he stopped reacting strongly, she stopped.

Peter realizes this is the most he's spoken since he got home. "Did she ever give a reason?"

"Yes," Derek says, but doesn't say more. How can he explain fae reasoning? She'd been trying to help him, but in the cruelest way possible.

Peter doesn't press for more information, not right now. Instead, he looks into Derek's eyes and makes sure Derek is looking back. "You're stronger now, Pup. You're stronger than when you left, and stronger than you believe."

"Not a pup anymore," Derek murmurs.

"You're not Tender anymore, either," Peter says bluntly. "What would you like me to call you?"

Derek opens his mouth, but doesn't answer. He blushes. 

Peter kisses his forehead. "You'll be Pup until you can tell me different."

* * *

A weird thing is happening to Derek. The more time he spends with Peter, the more he wants to crawl inside his arms and never leave. He likes that his uncle has his own cottage, and he visits — doing dishes in return — as much as he dares. But even when Derek's not at Peter's cottage, Peter is always nearby.

"You shouldn't crowd him," Talia is telling Peter one day when Derek overhears. "He needs to find a way to get over this on his own."

"Get over it?" Peter says incredulously. 

Derek creeps closer so he can get a better look at them. Peter and his mother are in the garden, where Derek usually is. Peter must have gotten there before him, and Talia came to warn him off.

"Derek's changed, I know, but if we want him back to normal, we can't coddle him," Talia says.

"I don't want him back to normal, Tally. At least I'm not deluded enough to think that's possible."

"What, you want him dependent on you?" Talia asks. "I see how he's been leaning into you for support."

"Jealous?" Peter snaps. 

"Concerned," Talia replies. "I'm his mother. If he has a problem, he should come to me, not the man who's behind him killing his girlfriend."

"He's forgiven me for that," Peter says lowly.

"He's too softhearted for his own good," Talia says. "He needs to be reminded who you are." Strangely, she sounds like Kega when she says this.

"Don't threaten me, Tally," Peter says.

Talia stands there, glaring and breathing hard as if she's just run through the Preserve. She deflates eventually. "I wasn't threatening you. I'm just concerned."

"Your concern is noted," Peter says. He looks over to where Derek is hiding. "If you need me, I'll be in the woods.

"I doubt I'll need you," Talia sneers.

But Peter leaves without another word. Derek knows he was talking to him, anyway, not his mother. He waits a few minutes, then strolls into the garden as if he just got there. 

"Why do you work on the roses everyday?" his mother asks.

Derek shrugs. He's still thinking of the way she talked to Peter. 

"You used to talk to me," Talia says. 

He looks up, right into her eyes. "I don't have anything to say."

She frowns and looks away. "I guess… I'll leave you to it, then. If you need anything…"

"I know where to go," Derek says. He doesn't say, _If I need something, I'll go find Peter._

Talia nods her head, seemingly done for the day. Then she leaves back into the house.

A little while later, Derek is working the dirt on his hands and knees. He needs to make sure there's not so much blood in the roses, but just enough. Cora comes to visit.

"Whatcha doing?" she asks. 

It's not a trick question, he doesn't think. Cora's only eleven. Or twelve, now? He doesn't remember. Years have passed for him, but not for the pack.

"I put blood meal in the soil," Derek says. "For the roses. I'm making sure I didn't put too much."

"How can you tell?" Cora asks.

Derek pauses. He doesn't want to reveal that the fae gave him this gift. He shrugs. "Can't you smell it?"

Cora gets on her hands and knees in the dirt like he is. She sniffs the soil. "A little."

"A little's all we need," Derek says.

"Why are you so weird since you came back from your trip?" Cora asks bluntly.

Derek smiles a little. "A lot happened."

"In a week?" she asks dubiously. "You know, Mom doesn't want me to know anything, but I have ears. And eyes. I know you went somewhere with faeries."

Derek stiffens. "Call them the Fair Folk."

"Why?" Cora asks.

"Because it's respectful."

"They took you away and brought you back weird," Cora says simply. "Why do I have to respect them?"

"Because they're stronger than we are, and… temperamental. Calling them the Fair Folk or the Lords and Ladies is just… safer."

Cora looks at him for a long time. "Stronger than werewolves?"

"Much stronger," Derek says grimly.

"How do we protect ourselves?" Cora asks.

Derek feels lost. "Just don't invite their attention. Don't step inside their rings … you know the mushroom rings in the forest you find sometimes? Don't go inside them. And don't look in still water for too long. Or mirrors. And if you talk to any, never give them your name, and don't make any deals or take any favors."

Coras eyes were getting steadily wider as he spoke, and now they're as big as saucers. 

"I didn't mean to scare you," Derek says.

She gulps. "It's okay. I needed to know. Why isn't Mom telling us this?"

"She doesn't realize how dangerous they are."

"But she's our Alpha, she should know!" Cora says.

"She won't listen," Derek says. "Now that she knows there's a treaty with them, she thinks all is well. She doesn't understand how they think."

Cora looks so stricken, Derek has to hug her. "It'll be okay. I'll find a way to keep you safe."

"Cora!" Laura yells. She comes closer and finds them both hugging in the dirt. "Der, Cora, what are you two doing?"

"Roses," Derek says. But then he stands, pulling Cora up with him. "But we're done."

Cora runs away. Laura looks after her with a frown. "What did you say to her?"

Derek shrugs. "I gotta go."

Laura watches him for a moment. Then she deflates. "Fine. Go."

He didn't realize he was waiting to be dismissed, as if she was one of the fae. He should have just left.

He does now, though. He runs into the forest, following Peter's scent.

* * *

A week later, Peter has found a solution. A minor one, but it still means a lot. He can see it in Derek's face when the pup opens his present. 

"A necklace?" Derek asks, holding up the triskele pendant.

"Cold iron," Peter tells him. "I told you I'd keep you safe. Now, iron's hard to spell, but the chain is platinum and has protective charms on it."

"I can feel them," Derek says.

"You can?" Peter asks.

Derek nods but doesn't explain. "What do you want for it?"

Peter could take advantage of the situation, but he won't. "It's a gift, freely given, with no expectation of payment or favor in return."

"I—" Derek says, brow furrowing.

"I just want you to feel safe, Pup," Peter says.

Derek breathes out. "Okay. Put it on me?"

Peter has him turn around so he can see the clasp. His fingers brush the back of Derek's neck and Derek shivers. "Okay?"

Derek puts his hand over the pendant and nods. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure," Peter says. He leans in and rubs his chin against Derek's neck and shoulder before he realizes what he's doing. It should be a simple scenting, but the soft sigh Derek releases makes it feel more intimate.

Peter's not sure what to do with that.

* * *

Summer can't last forever, at least not in the mortal world.

Derek goes back to school and hates every moment of it. He doesn't talk to any of his old friends, and there are whispers about his dead girlfriend. Some people are suspicious, some have pity, but no one tries to talk to him.

That is, until the new French teacher leans in close at the end of class one day and asks if he needs any extra help. "I'm worried about you, Derek."

He flinches at this name being used and his chain warms beneath his shirt. She — Miss Silver — isn't fae herself, but she reminds him of one. She's charming and smiling and seductive, but he can practically taste the poison in the air around her. She's dangerous. A predator. And, on top of that, she seems to think Derek is prey.

When he doesn't say anything, she sits close to him and says, "I heard about your girlfriend. I'm so sorry." She puts a hand over his and his skin crawls.

Derek shakes his head. "It's okay."

"You just look like you need a friend," Miss Silver says. If he didn't know her kind better, he might fall for it. 

"Maybe," Derek says. "But I have to go."

She looks disappointed, but she takes his 'maybe' as confirmation that whatever she's trying is working. "All right. I'll see you tomorrow, sweetie."

He goes straight home to Peter and tells him about her.

Peter's the Left Hand. It's his job to be suspicious of other people, especially anyone who might take an interest in a pack mate. He's even more suspicious when Derek tells him his chain warmed near her, and that she felt 'off'.

So Peter does some digging and finds out her Katie Silver identity is a fake one. He thinks she might be a hunter, especially with that manufactured surname, but he doesn't have proof.

"What are we going to do?" Derek asks, sitting next to Peter on his comfortable sofa.

"Not you, I don't want you in danger," Peter says. "I'll dig around some more."

"What if we make her think her plan is working?" Derek asks quietly.

"Her plan to get close to you, Pup? I don't think so."

"How else do we catch her in the act of… whatever it is she wants to do?"

Peter frowns. "I don't like it."

"Let me do something for the pack for a change," Derek says, leaning in.

Peter throws an arm around his shoulders and shakes his head. "You don't need to earn your place, Pup."

"I keep disappointing everyone," Derek whispers.

"What? How?"

"I'm not who they want me to be," Derek tells him, burrowing against Peter's side.

"Talia will pull her head out of her ass eventually, Pup," Peter promises.

Derek sighs. He hopes Peter's right.

* * *

'Miss Silver' doesn't give up. Everywhere Derek turns, she's there, offering smiles or sympathy. Derek had it wrong. She's _worse_ than the fae.

He keeps Peter updated on everything she does, everything she says. But, when Miss Silver — "Call me Katie, honey" — arranges to meet him outside of school, he keeps it to himself. At least, for now. He knows Peter would forbid it, but Derek needs to know what she's up to, and that means getting alone with her.

Her apartment is bigger than it should be. "Nice place for a substitute teacher," Derek remarks, and she looks slightly annoyed when he glances at her out of the corner of his eye. 

"I do some tutoring on the side, too," Katie says. "I was going to mention it to you. You're a little behind this year, compared to last—"

"You looked at my records?" Derek asks, trying to sound surprised.

"I do care about you," Katie says. If Derek was a little younger and naive, he might have fallen for her warm and kind act. But an act is all it is, and he needs to get to the bottom of this.

He makes his voice go small and bewildered. "But, why?"

He has her. "Oh, sweetie. Have people not been paying attention to you? Of course I care. You're such a sweet boy."

"I'm… I mean, I'm not really," Derek says.

Katie comes closer and touches his face. He learned not to flinch from unwanted touch while he was with the fae. Show no reaction, or a different one, he learned, so now he looks at Katie like he's amazed she'd even want to be close to him.

"Do you want to talk about it, hon?" Katie asked with her poison-sweet voice.

"You'd hate me. Just like my family does," Derek says. He tries to think of himself as the boy he was before he left, full of self-recrimination and guilt, hungry for a kind word.

"Do you need a friend, Derek?" Katie asks softly. "I'd like that."

"You're a teacher…" he says, scrunching his face up with faux confusion.

"I could be so much more, if you let me," Katie says. She's laying it on thick and moving too fast. Does she really think he's that dumb? But maybe, with the way he's acting and what he's saying, she thinks she has this in the bag.

"I don't understand," Derek says, putting on embarrassment. 

"I think you do," Katie says, trailing a finger down his cheek. "I want to help you."

He wants to bite her finger off and spit it in her face, but he refrains. How is she saying these things without a blip in her heartbeat?

"I should go," Derek says quietly. "I shouldn't be here."

"Don't go yet," Katie says. "I just want to talk." 

Derek bites his lip, knowing it makes him look younger and more vulnerable. He sees a triumphant gleam in her eyes when she thinks she's won. 

"Just talk?" Derek asks. He looks away. "About what?"

"Whatever you need to talk about, honey," she says.

They end up sitting on the edge of her bed. He's not sure how that happened. Something about her is making him feel more susceptible to her suggestions. It must be magic, but he's used to fae charms and spells, so he can recognize it and know exactly what he's doing. 

He closes his eyes and asks Paige to forgive him, then says, "I miss my girlfriend. I really thought she was… you know. The one."

"Oh, sweetie. Do you want to tell me what happened?" Katie asks.

The official line is that she fell down a ravine whilst hiking in the Preserve. The bite was explained away by 'animals got to her before we could'. It helps to have an in with the local medical examiner, and Talia does. 

But Katie's magic, whatever she's using, is urging Derek to tell the truth. To relax and let his guard down. He shows her that he's fighting it, which only makes sense. Any born werewolf would fight against revealing anything supernatural. So Derek takes a middle stance and says, "You wouldn't believe me."

"You're special, aren't you?" Katie asks. "I knew it from the moment I met you. There's something about you I can't put my finger on…"

"I don't want to talk about it," Derek mutters. "I should go." But of course he takes no action. He needs to figure out what Katie Silver wants from him.

"Please stay," Katie says. "I… I get so lonely here by myself. And you look like you're lonely, too. Am I wrong?"

Derek has his pack, and when they aren't there for him, Peter is. But he supposes if he hadn't been taken by the fae, some things might be different. He might have still blamed Peter if they hadn't gotten all that out of the way. The thought leaves him cold.

He tilts his chin down but looks up into her eyes. "I do get lonely sometimes."

"You can always come to me," Katie says.

He gives her a tentative smile, grateful for all the lessons the fae gave him. Don't show your true emotions. Lie without lying, and recognize when others are doing the same. 

He can't stand to be in the same room with her for much longer. 

Katie looks at her watch. "I shouldn't keep you too long," she says, and leans in to kiss his cheek. "Don't want your parents getting suspicious." Then she gives him a smile that's probably supposed to be cute and secretive, like they're sharing something important together.

"Well, I know where you are now," Derek mumbles. "Do you think… I mean, could I come back some time when I can?"

"Of course, sweetie," Katie says. The victorious gleam is back in her eyes. "Any time. You're always welcome."

Derek nods. "Okay. Thanks, Miss Silver."

"Call me Katie, honey," she says with a smile. It doesn't look predatory but he knows what lies beneath the surface. She's definitely not harmless.

* * *

"You did _what_?" Peter asks. "My god, I can smell her all over you. What the fuck, Pup?"

Derek went straight to Peter's cottage after leaving Katie's apartment. 

"I need a shower," Derek says. He can smell her, too, and feel her crawling over his skin.

Peter stares at him like he's trying to see through his skull into his head, then waves him toward the bathroom.

When Derek gets out of the shower and towels off, he finds some neatly folded clothes waiting for him to put on. Peter's clothes. Even though they're clean, they still smell like Peter, like Peter's worn them a lot and now his scent is burrowed into the shirt and jeans. Derek likes that. Pulling on the borrowed clothes feels comfortable and safe, and that's just what he needs right now.

"Thanks," he says when he sits beside Peter on the sofa.

"You smell better, at least," Peter tells him.

"Yeah, like you," Derek says with a small smile. He's amused. Does Peter realize what he's doing?

And then Peter is handing him a plate of pizza rolls, and Derek thinks he has to. There's no way Peter doesn't realize he's courting him. It's subtle, but the signs are there. Of course, Peter might justify it. There's a line between courtship and caring for a pack mate. It's just blurry as hell.

Derek decides he'll just have to make sure where he stands. He leans over and kisses Peter's cheek.

"What was that for?" Peter asks. He doesn't look displeased, though.

Derek gestures at the food. It's freely given, and Derek's learned to trust Peter's overtures like that and not second guess them. Well, he's decided to treat them as courting rituals. He hopes he's not wrong.

"If that's what I get for pizza rolls, I have to wonder what a good steak would get me," Peter says. He's trying to joke, and Derek rolls his eyes.

"Make me a fancy steak dinner and find out, then," Derek says.

Are Peter's cheeks pinker than usual? He stares at Derek for a moment, then blinks and looks away. "You need to tell me what you were doing today. Are you trying to get out of this conversation?"

"Would I do that?" Derek asks.

Peter huffs. "Probably."

"She invited me to her apartment," Derek says. "Much nicer than what a substitute teacher can afford alone. She tried to shrug that off, but it was very telling." He pops a pizza roll into his mouth. Peter didn't buy these frozen and heat them up — they're homemade, with a gooey cheese and pepperoni filling. Almost too hot, but they don't burn his tongue like the store-bought ones always do.

"What did it tell you, Pup?" Peter asks.

Derek finishes chewing and swallows his pizza roll. "She's used to nice things, plenty of space, and she's sure she won't get caught. When did you make these?"

"Today while you were at school. I'm glad I didn't bake them before you got here, or they would have been cold," Peter says. He sounds a little put out.

"I should have told you where I was going," Derek concedes.

Peter nods. "Yes. From now on, you do tell me. And give me the address where she's staying."

"Be careful," Derek says. "She's dangerous."

Peter narrows his eyes. "I'm the Left Hand. I know how to take care of myself. You, however…" He trails off and gives Derek a pointed look.

"I learned more in the otherworld than just how to tend to roses," Derek tells him. 

"Can you fight?" Peter asks, leaning in and looking at him intently. 

"Yes. And I can keep a cool head, too."

Peter raises an eyebrow. "This I have to see."

"You should spar with me," Derek says, popping another pizza roll into his mouth. 

"Name the time and place," Peter says. Derek's not sure if he's serious.

"Let me finish my pizza rolls. They're delicious. Thank you for making them for me."

Peter huffs. "What makes you think I made them for you, Pup? Maybe I just like pizza rolls."

"You don't even like pepperoni. And you didn't bake them until I got here," Derek says. 

Peter waves him off, but his cheeks are pink again beneath his stubble. Derek leans in and gives him another kiss there, enjoying the feel of the heat and the prickly hair on his lips.

Peter looks pleased. "Well," he says, and clears his throat. "Did you learn anything else about 'Miss Silver', or whatever she's going by?"

"She wants me to call her Katie. I think that might be close to her real name, but not quite. It feels… it feels like it's her name."

Peter looks intrigued. "You can tell if someone's name is real?"

"There's a power in names," Derek says, somewhat vague but he doesn't know how to explain it without sounding crazy. And he feels crazy enough, having spent so much time in the otherworld.

But Peter seems to take his answer in stride and doesn't question him further on the topic. 

"She's using some kind of magic to make me more susceptible to her," Derek reveals.

"I don't like that," Peter says darkly.

"I recognized it immediately," Derek says. "I knew I could have fought it if I tried. It wouldn't have been hard, not when I knew what was happening."

"What kind of magic, do you think?" Peter asks. "A druid wouldn't work with a hunter. You'd recognize it if it was fae. So what does that leave?"

"Too much to count," Derek says. "But the chain is counteracting it already.."

Peter nods. "I'll look into getting you a stronger charm of some kind to help you fight it."

"Katie's magic is really subtle, I doubt I'll need it."

"Pup, it might have been subtle today, but what if she pushes harder?" Peter asks. "Do you really want to find out what she wants the hard way?"

Derek frowns. "Of course not. But if the fae didn't break me, I can't see how she can."

"We'll take precautions anyway," Peter says, and that's that.

Derek leans into him and Peter puts an arm around his shoulders. "Should we tell Mom?"

"Talia doesn't know how to do anything subtly. She'd probably just have me kill the bitch and leave it at that. Without knowing anything more."

"Maybe we should do that anyway," Derek grumbles. 

"Hey. Pup," Peter says, tilting Derek's chin up so he can meet his eyes. "If you want to stop looking for information, I'm sure there's some way for me to get it out of her. A nice sharp knife can do wonders."

"I don't think she'd break," Derek says.

"What makes you think that?" Peter asks. 

"Just a feeling. She… I can't be sure, but it feels like she has this purpose, and she's strong on it. I mean, why else would she go to all this trouble?"

Peter makes a frustrated noise and drops a kiss on Derek's forehead. "No, you're right. We need to find out what she's planning. I'll work on my end, and you…"

"I know you hate that I'm doing this," Derek says quietly.

"I do. It's dangerous, and I don't want you to have to do anything you don't want," Peter says.

"I have a feeling this is bigger than just you and me," Derek says quietly. "She's laying the groundwork for something… else. Something she sees as spectacular. I know her type, always scheming, but for reasons she sees as justified and righteous."

"Righteous," Peter says thoughtfully. "Yes. Hunters often have that kind of fire burning inside them."

Derek nods. "So you research her, find out who she is, and I'll work on what she wants."

"I don't like this," Peter says darkly.

"Neither do I," Derek confesses. "But it's the best way."

Peter scents him absently, hand coming up to rest at the nape of Derek's neck. Derek wonders if he even realizes he's doing it. 

"Well, I'd better go on up to the house," Derek says. He'd rather stay with Peter, but he can't let his mother get suspicious. She's going to have a hard enough time with it once she realizes Derek and Peter are… what they are. Or what they're going to be.

"Try to get some sleep," Peter says. "You look like you need it."

Derek snorts. "Sure." In between all his new nightmares.

* * *

Four days later, Peter has acquired a new chain that goes around Derek's neck — just like the first one, so it's not suspicious, and exuding a benevolent magic that even Derek finds comforting. So much magic is meant for ill, but this makes him feel even safer than the first one. Of course he keeps the cold iron triskele.

Peter is the one who puts it around his neck. "There you go, Pup. Now, let me tell you what I found out."

"Wait, where'd you get this? Not from Deaton, right?"

"Deaton isn't too helpful when it comes to protective charms and wards. No, this is from a friend I know who lives in Seattle. I called her and she made it up quick, then sent it overnight." He doesn't mention that asking Deaton for something would mean Talia would know immediately, and demand to know why Peter or Derek needed a protection charm.

"Katie Silver is actually Kate Argent," Peter says. "A hunter, like we thought."

"Don't we have an agreement with the Argents?" Derek asks.

"Yes, I'll have to go through our accord to see which sections specifically they're breaking," Peter says. 

"Why?" Derek sits on the sofa next to Peter, close enough to feel his body heat.

"So we'll be able to mount a strong defense in front of the Council's Tribunal, if it comes to that."

Derek nods. He knows this Kate Argent will be dead soon. He's not sure if he or Peter will do the deed, though. "Did you find out anything else?"

"Oh, yes. She has a lot of cash on hand."

"Why?"

"My guess is for payments and bribes. She's planning something big. Something expensive."

"Aren't the Argents a big group? Who's in charge of her, that they let her do this?"

"Funny you should ask that," Peter says. "The Argents are traditionally matriarchal. Apparently her mother was the head of their little clan, but she died under mysterious circumstances not that long ago. Since then, her husband, Gerard Argent, has been in charge. He's also Kate's father."

"That name sounds familiar," Derek murmurs. 

"Do you remember Deucalion?" Peter asks. "He was all set to make some monumental accord with the Argents, until he went missing. The details are fuzzy and even that is suspicious. I don't know, something definitely went down. I wouldn't trust Gerard Argent at all."

"And Katie — Kate — she's his daughter. What are the chances she's here without his knowledge?" Derek asks.

"Slim to none," Peter says.

Derek nods grimly. "So we can't just get rid of her. We have to make sure Gerard pays, too."

"That's what the evidence is for."

"Do you want me to ask her about him?" Derek asks.

"Anything she says is bound to be a lie," Peter says. "There's a reason hearsay isn't reliable."

"She texted me," Derek says.

Peter's lip curls. "To say what?"

"She wants to meet up. So we can talk."

"All of a sudden?" Peter asks.

Derek shrugs. "I told her I was lonely."

Peter raises his eyebrows. Derek leans on his shoulder to mollify him. 

"I've been telling her all kinds of bullshit," Derek says. "That my family doesn't treat me the same anymore, that I don't have anyone to talk to. It's what she expects."

"And not true?" Peter asks.

"I have you," Derek says quietly. "Right?"

"Always," Peter says. It sounds like a promise. A vow. 

"So I'm going to go see her," Derek says. "And I'll come straight here when I get back."

"Be careful," Peter says. "You should still be able to feel the magic she's putting on you, and recognize what it's doing, but you won't be affected. So you have to pretend you are."

"I know," Derek says.

"If she touches you…"

"I can handle this," Derek says firmly.

"You're so young, I hate to put you in this position," Peter says, sounding worried and smelling of guilt.

"This is my decision," Derek says. "Besides, I just look young."

"How long… when you were _there_ , how long was it for you?" Peter asks. 

Derek snuggles closer. He sticks his face in the crook of Peter's neck so he can breathe in the scent of safety and home. "It doesn't matter. Long enough." The answer is too complicated, anyway. Time-keeping wasn't really something the fae were good at, and he doesn't really want to freak Peter out — or make him feel more guilty. 

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop it," Peter murmurs.

"It's over," Derek tells him. "I'm here now."

They stay like that until Derek has to leave.

* * *

The new charmed neck chain makes a lot of difference. Derek could feel the magic before, and knew what it was doing, but he had no idea just how insidious it was. Now, he can choose exactly what to do and say, where before he'd been pushed into behaving the way Kate wanted.

He's still going to do what she wants, because she'll be suspicious if he doesn't, but at least he has more control over it. He thought he did before, but… maybe not.

"I'm so glad you came," Kate says. "I've been worried about you."

With the charm, whatever magic Kate was using to hide her lies dissipates, and Derek can hear the tick in her heartbeat, smell the stench of her deceit.

"I'm okay," Derek says, putting on a morose face. 

"No, you're not. But you're here now. Tell me all about it," Kate says.

Derek makes up some lies — and tells some truths — about the way his family has treated him lately. He tells her he feels guilty about Paige, and so lonely. Kate eats it up.

"You have me, you know," she says. She runs a hand down the side of his face and he closes his eyes. The magic pushes on his emotions, but of course with the charm, he can fight it. 

He tries to pretend it's Peter touching him, but nothing matches up. The scent, the emotion, the touch itself. So he opens his eyes again and looks at her. She's watching his reactions carefully so he knows he can't fuck this up. She could kill him, he sees that in her. She just isn't because she needs him for some reason.

"You make me feel less alone," Derek tells her, though he thinks of Peter as he says it. Peter's the one who saves him, every day, from feeling lonely. Peter's the one he wants to share his life with. 

Kate's eyes light up and she looks away, but not before he sees the triumph there. She thinks she has him.

She kisses him on the mouth. It's not his first kiss, and he thanks every deity he knows of for that fact. His first kiss was Paige, so at least Kate's not taking that from him. He makes a soft noise, a groan of what he hopes she doesn't know is disgust. 

Kate's expecting him to fall in love with her. She's using magic and deceit and has all the confidence that it will work on him, so why would she think he's grossed out by her?

"Oh, honey, we can do more than that," she says. He wonders why. If she's one of the bad hunters — hell, even the decent hunters think of them as animals at times, he knows — then she shouldn't want to 'do more' at all. But this one, this Kate Argent, probably is getting off on having so much power over him.

"Can we go… slow?" Derek asks her. "I've never, um."

"Oh, sweetie, you're a virgin?" Kate asks, and for a moment Derek is even more disgusted by the glee he sees in her face.

She must be planning to rip his life apart entirely. She likes that she will take this from him too.

"Paige and I never… I mean, we were young, and Paige wanted to wait, but I would have, too," Derek says.

Kate licks her lips and smiles. "Oh, that's okay. We won't rush. But I do want to touch you. Can I do that, at least?"

"I—" Derek starts to say, and then she's sliding a hand up his thigh. He's not hard, he can't imagine any of this turning him on. He can't have her knowing that, though. He hops up and says, "I have to go."

"What?" Kate asks, looking confused. Her brows knit together in confusion.

Derek can't think fast enough to come up with an excuse other than, "Mom will be mad if I stay out too late on a school night."

Kate's face clears. "Ah, she sounds like a controlling bitch. Maybe we can continue this on Friday night, when you don't have such an early curfew."

"Yeah. And you… I mean, you should text me more often," Derek says, as shyly as he can. "I like talking to you."

"Of course, sweetie."

He gives her a tentative smile. "See you tomorrow, at school?" Derek asks.

Kate gives him a fake smile and then a hug that smells like something that burns his throat. Is that wolfsbane?

"Bye, Katie," Derek says. He knows it's not her real name, but it's close enough that it makes him feel more in control. He's the one with the power here, not her. He knows what she's up to, _he's_ the one with the upper hand.

* * *

Peter hopes Derek doesn't have to do this much more. He walks into Peter's cottage smelling of misery and the hunter bitch, and Peter isn't sure if he should hug him first or direct him straight to the shower. Luckily, Derek makes the decision himself and heads right to the bathroom. 

Peter goes to his room and picks up the clothes he already has folded carefully for this. He's chosen soft, well loved clothing, things he wears when he's alone and relaxing. Derek's still a little smaller than he is, but he's growing. Soon he might not fit into Peter's clothes as well, but for now they are a comfort Peter can give him easily.

He doesn't bother with underwear, since Derek is usually more comfortable without. Just sweat pants and a well-worn t-shirt with a faded logo for some band Peter was crazy about five years ago. Socks, too, because the floorboards in the cottage are slightly cooler than in the main house.

He gets to the bathroom to put them on the closed toilet lid, and Derek says, "Thanks." Expressing gratitude isn't something Derek does often, not since he came back from the otherworld, and doing it shows how much he trusts Peter.

Peter smiles to himself. "Any time, Pup." He's about to step out when Derek peeks his head from behind the shower curtain. There are suds in his hair and he looks adorable.

"I'll be right out," he says.

"Take your time," Peter tells him. "Wash away as much as you can."

Derek gets an odd expression on his face. "I will. Believe me."

Peter leaves him to it, and fixes up an easy snack of sliced apples, orange sections, and juicy grapes. He arranges them in a bowl and takes it into the living room, where he's sure Derek will want to cuddle. 

Peter isn't completely unattached from the reality of what he's been doing. He's been courting Derek ever since the boy came back from the otherworld. He may not have been aware of his behavior at first, but Derek's reciprocation has been unmistakable. Peter isn't stupid.

How this will pan out, he doesn't know. He should probably talk to his sister about this soon, but he can only imagine her reaction. He's run the scenario through his mind in several ways, but the outcome hasn't been pretty at all.

He sighs, but realizes he can't do anything about the future yet. He has now, and he will do what he can to support Derek in this present time.

The sight of Derek in his clothes always makes Peter's wolf happy. Derek's hair is slightly longer than it's been previously, and the ends curl up just a little from the dampness of the shower. Peter wants to reach out and touch, and compare the texture from when the hair is dry, and learn every single thing about Derek and all his reactions.

"Come here," Peter says, though the words aren't needed since Derek's already sitting next to him and pressing against his side. Peter immediately wraps an arm around him. "Are you okay?"

"The shower helped," Derek mumbles, pushing his face into Peter's neck. 

"What happened?" Peter asks.

"She wanted to fuck, I think," Derek says.

Peter growls. 

"Don't worry, we didn't. But I don't know if I'll be able to, even if I have to."

"You definitely don't have to," Peter says, as strong as he can. "We're learning more all the time. You don't even have to see her again, if you don't want. We can figure this out without her."

"I know it's just sex, but it feels so wrong with her. I… She touched me and I couldn't get hard. She was gonna…" He breathes out shakily.

"Okay first, it's okay to want sex to be special. You do not have to look at it as 'just sex' — not for anything."

"Even if it's for our pack?" Derek asks softly. 

"Protecting the pack is not your responsibility, it's mine, and I should never have let you get this far with this Argent woman. I didn't think she'd move so fast." Peter's mind is whirring and his wolf is growling softly, pressing him to go and kill the interloper, the hunter who would dare to touch his mate.

"I felt the magic she was using. She thinks she can do anything to me," Derek says. "She thinks I should be crawling on my knees for her."

Peter snarls and Derek presses closer. 

"I told her I was a virgin," Derek says. "I think that got her excited."

Peter isn't sure what to do. He wants to kiss Derek now, to claim him, to make sure he knows who has him, who he belongs to, who loves him. And Peter realizes he belongs to Derek just as much. He'd do anything for this strange, fae-touched nephew of his, and he needs Derek to understand that.

He turns and touches Derek's face. Looks into his eyes. "I don't want you doing anything you don't want."

"I can't just ignore her. This is—"

Peter cuts him off with a kiss. He keeps it gentle, just a press of his lips to Derek's, and then backs off again to gauge Derek's reaction.

Derek smiles. "It's about time you did that. I thought I'd have to wait."

"For what?" Peter asks.

"For you to realize you were courting me," Derek says. His laugh is beautiful. 

"I realized it… eventually," Peter says. "Now, eat some fruit."

Derek laughs again. "I'd rather you kiss me some more."

"Are you sure?" 

"More than kissing, if you want," Derek says.

"And that's what _you_ want?" Peter asks.

Derek huffs. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

"I don't think you should go up to the main house smelling like you just had sex with your uncle, as beautiful as that would be," Peter says wryly.

Derek deflates. "No, I guess not."

"I can give you more kisses, though," Peter tells him, but before Derek can move in again, adds, "after you eat your snack."

"Fine," Derek says, laughter in his voice and in his eyes.

* * *

Peter sends Derek home, thankful for the werewolf healing that took away the swollen lips and stubble burn on the boy's neck. As much as Peter likes seeing his mark on Derek, he knows Talia wouldn't be as happy about it.

He patrols. He's too keyed up to sleep, and while the territory has been mostly quiet lately (except for Kate Argent's scheming), he needs to keep it that way.

But instead of going along the territory bounds or walking along the ley lines, he finds himself a short distance from Kate's apartment building. He tunes his hearing, but he can't hear anything useful, just heartbeats and snores.

It was a long shot, anyway. 

Part of him is tempted to sneak into Kate's apartment and kill her. Slit her throat with one sharp claw. Tear her heart out with his bare hands. Maybe bite her fingers off, first. How dare she touch his mate as if she has any right? And for all she knows, Derek's just a teenager, and she's most definitely not. She's a predator, and she knows it. She wants Derek weak and compliant and fitting into her plans. 

Peter wants Derek strong, and smiling, and to know he's loved whole-heartedly. That's what his mate deserves, not… not whatever Kate has planned.

_Kill her_ , his wolf snarls. But without proof, he won't be able to go to the Council. He's actually hoping to take down the whole family, if they need to go, but Derek's involvement is making everything more complicated.

He's so busy stewing in his impotent rage that he almost misses Kate leaving her building and getting in her vehicle, but Peter notices as she's pulling out. He follows behind, wondering where she's going so late.

He hangs back when she drives to the overlook, and hides in some tall shrubs where he can listen in but won't be spotted. She meets up with three others, no one Peter recognizes. He sets his phone to record video and points it at the group.

"Change of plans, boys," Kate tells them. "We're moving the big day closer. I know I thought the Wolf Moon was poetic justice and all, but it turns out I don't even need that much time. My little side project is coming along faster than I thought it would, thanks to some help."

"When are we talking, then?" one of the men asks.

Kate's smile is visible in the headlights of her car. It's pure evil. "I'm thinking next month. The Hunter's Moon. Even better, right?"

"I don't care when it is, as long as I get to burn some bitches down," another of them says.

"That's soon," the first man says.

"So? We've got enough mountain ash and that greasy drunk gave me the perfect accelerant formula. You can do it, right?" Kate asks.

A chill goes through Peter. Now. He should stop them all now, before they can put their plan into motion. 

"So what are we waiting for?" the third man asks.

"My contact is going to give me everything I need, soon. We think there are hidden escape tunnels, but we're not sure where they are or how we're going to block them, yet."

And that must be what she wants from Derek. 

"How's that 'contact' doing?" the first man asks with a laugh.

Kate smiles. "He's folding beautifully. Falling in love with me." She laughs. "Don't worry, he's fully under my spell, so to speak."

"Is your father coming up for this?" one of the men asks.

"No. He trusts me to take care of the Hales myself," Kate says. 

Good, now she's implicated Gerard Argent in this mess, at least as an accessory, if not the mastermind behind the plan. Peter smiles to himself. As appalled and sick as he is to find out what they're planning, he knows he has them now. He can take this recording to any supernatural court, anywhere, and destroy the Argents.

The group go their separate ways, and Peter doesn't bother chasing Kate back to her apartment. He's got what he needs.

* * *

"It can't be that easy," Derek says when Peter explains what he heard. "Getting this information is a good step, but just going to the Council with it…" He trails off and sighs, not able to explain the anxiety building up inside him.

"This is what they're for, Pup," Peter says. "But you're right, we shouldn't rely on them too heavily."

"And we should tell more than just one member," Derek says. "In case the Argents have a friend within their ranks."

Peter tilts his head and smiles. "Your paranoia is appreciated. I hadn't thought of that, but you're right."

"I'm surprised you hadn't," Derek says. "It's not like you not to be thorough."

"I'll tell three members of the Council. At the very least," Peter promises. It makes Derek breathe a little easier. Peter must notice, because he pulls Derek close to him. "We're doing this right way, and it will be fine."

"Kate wanted me to meet with her tomorrow night. I think I still should," Derek says. He rests his head on Peter's shoulder. "We don't want to tip her off, yet."

"You're trembling," Peter says.

"Think I can pass it off as virgin nerves?" Derek asks. It's supposed to be a joke but Peter takes it seriously.

"I think you should tell her something's come up," Peter says, holding him tighter. More protectively.

"No, but what if I can't get out of there without… without doing something with her?" Derek asks. 

"Don't go," Peter says, more adamant this time.

Derek pulls away to look at his face. "I have to. I have to make her think she's won." He has an inkling of how to do it, too. It'll just take some more acting on his part. He would never think he'd thank the fae for teaching him how to hide his feelings, but that's exactly what he's doing.

"Okay. Okay, Pup," Peter says with a defeated sigh. 

"We have two weeks," Derek says. "It's two weeks until the full moon, and that's when she wants to… do what she's doing." He can't say the words. It's too horrible to think of.

Peter walks into his kitchen. "We probably have enough to get the Council to act, or at least send their best fighters to try to catch her and her accomplices in the act." He comes back with two bottles of water and hands one to Derek. Keeping him hydrated.

Derek smiles. "Yes, but she won't do it if she thinks I'm not on board with her love spell. Plus she still has to wheedle information out of me."

"What do you want to do in the meantime?" Peter asks.

"I think we should do everything we can to strengthen our pack bond," Derek says.

Peter looks surprised. "Why is that?"

"If Kate figures it out, she might…. what if she…" Derek frowns with frustration, trying to explain. "She's not a regular hunter. She likes to play with her prey. If she finds out I know about the plan, she'll take me somewhere to, I don't know, torture me or something, first. Before she kills me."

"That's a very specific fear you have there, Pup," Peter says, pulling him down to sit on the sofa with him. He's frowning now, looking concerned.

"It is, but what if that happens? What if that happens and you can't find me?" Derek asks. He's worried it's not just a fear, but a premonition. His time with the fae changed him, and while he doesn't think he's _psychic_ , he does get strong vibes about things. 

"The pendant I gave you could help me find you," Peter says thoughtfully.

"Not if she takes it from me," Derek says. Peter pulls him closer and Derek snuggles against him. He's too worried to enjoy it as much as he should, though.

"Hence the bond," Peter muses. "Okay. We have two weeks to work on it, I'm sure—"

"There's nothing stronger than a mate bond." 

Peter goes still. "Pup. You're sixteen."

Derek snorts. "So we're not counting the years I spent in the Otherworld?"

"I would count them, and I know you do, but your mother certainly doesn't, since you haven't even told her about that aspect," Peter says.

"She feels guilty enough," Derek says softly.

"You are not responsible for Talia's feelings," Peter says sternly. "She should know the truth. But even when she does, I don't think… I don't think she'll really understand you're not her little boy anymore."

"Then we prove it to her. A mate bond won't work on a _child_ ," Derek says.

Peter makes a soft, impressed sound. "You've been researching this?"

"It's hard to sleep at night, sometimes. The family library is as good a place as any to waste time."

"What else did you discover?" Peter asks.

"That the Hales from the 17th century were obsessed with phallic symbols, and one of our more recent relatives mated his sister to ensure a pure line."

"He wasn't afraid of inbreeding?" Peter asks.

"No, and he was right, none of their children seemed to suffer for it. He concluded that werewolf biology made inbreeding a baseless fear."

"Good to know," Peter murmurs.

"Yes, in case you want to knock me up," Derek says with a laugh.

Peter's eyes flash and his scent goes spicy and syrup-sweet. "Is that a fantasy of yours, Pup?"

"It wasn't until I realized how much you like the idea," Derek says. He leans in and kisses Peter's stunned face. 

Peter growls appreciatively and kisses him deeper. It's very hard not to get distracted from it, but Derek's idea is still at the forefront of his mind.

"So, mating?" Derek asks, slightly breathless from the kiss.

"Can wait," Peter says after a few beats of silence.

"Then we should strengthen the pack bond," Derek says, trying not to show his disappointment. 

"Pup, I'd mate you in a second— don't for a moment think I'm putting it off because I don't want to. But it would cause too many distractions and complications while Kate is still alive and free."

"I know," Derek says, though it's good to hear Peter say the words.

"I love you," Peter tells him. It's not the first time he's said it, but it means more in this context. It means everything.

"I love you, too," Derek says. 

Peter smiles, his usual cool eyes suddenly a lot warmer. "Good. Now, what can we do in two weeks to strengthen our pack bond?"

"I could move in?" Derek says.

"Do you think your mother will allow that?" Peter asks.

"As long as I don't announce it, it should be fine. She doesn't pay attention to a lot of my… eccentricities. I think she ignores it all on purpose. If she asks why I'm not in my bed at night, I'll tell her the truth — I sleep better when I'm here."

"Yes, I worry about your insomnia," Peter murmurs.

"It's gotten better lately," Derek assures him.

That night, he spends the night in Peter's cottage, in Peter's bed, in Peter's arms. He sleeps better than he has in years.

* * *

Derek dreams. He dreams of roses, of blood and bone meal. He dreams of his pack going up in flames, and a voice that tells him it won't happen, not now. The voice is familiar and in his dream Derek knows who it is but when he wakes he can't put his finger on it.

He falls asleep again, and dreams this time of a blackened shell of a house. He dreams of Peter, insane with grief, and he dreams of his mate's blood on his hands, his claws.

He wakes silently, a scream of horror lodged in his throat and tears streaming down his face. He knows, now, that he has to do everything he can to stop Kate. If that means letting her touch him, then so be it.

* * *

The dream sticks with him the next day. He goes to school, and Kate leans in close and whispers in his ear. "I can't wait to see you tonight," she says, and the magic pushes against him. He wonders how far gone he'd be without the pendant and Peter. Would he have fallen for this?

He's afraid of the answer.

She gives him a ride after school. He acts excited and a little shy as they pull up to her building. Before getting out, she leans over and kisses him. "Come on up — I've got so much to show you." Her eyes are glittering with anticipation and Derek shivers.

The thing is, as long as he spent in the otherworld, he was never made to have sex with one of the fae. Oh, they could have done it. They could have just called his name and he would have come to them. They held a power over him he never understood fully, and while they often gave him menial or even shameful things to do, they never asked him for _that_. It's possible Kega warned them away. Kega herself was cruel, but not in that particular way.

So Derek is a virgin. And while he's heard Laura rail against the entire concept of virginity and the social and societal bullshit surrounding the state — or lack of — it still matters to Derek. He wants his first time to be with his mate. He wants Peter to be his first, his first and only.

But he thinks of his dream and of all the horrible possibilities and pushes his reluctance aside.

Kate takes him to her bed, but she doesn't fuck him. He feels magic pressing against him, willing him to be compliant and open to her. She touches him. She kisses him. She licks his neck and whispers lies in his ear. But she doesn't go so far as to fuck him. He guesses she's waiting for the 'perfect time' to do that, maybe she even has it planned.

"You live out in the Preserve, don't you?" she says, nibbling on his earlobe. "What's that like?"

He stutters out a reply and she laughs. 

"I'd love to see your house sometime," Kate says. "But I'm sure your family wouldn't want me there. They wouldn't understand what we have."

Derek can barely feel her hands on his chest. He feels like he's not even in his body, like he's not even present. He watches dispassionately as she trails her palm down over his stomach to his waistband. 

"You'll just have to sneak me in," Kate says. Then, in a whisper that reminds him of aconite, "I want to fuck you in your bed."

He makes a small sound. She takes it as excitement.

"But I can't just walk in the front door, can I?" Kate asks. "Is there another way? Some way to get me inside your house without letting anyone else know?"

The magic presses harder against his defenses. He knows what she wants. He knows why. 

He tells her about the tunnels.

Kate kisses him, and then she laughs. She laughs and laughs.

* * *

Something is wrong with Derek, more than usual, and when he comes in, Peter takes him to the bathroom himself.

The boy doesn't speak. He doesn't do much of anything but lean against Peter and tremble.

Peter wants to annihilate Kate Argent.

"You're not going back to her," Peter says adamantly. "Never again. You don't have to. We have enough."

He expects Derek to argue, but the boy just nods. Bad sign. 

"Let's get you out of these clothes," Peter says. They smell of the hunter — aconite, perfume, and sickly-sweet magic. He doesn't expect a reply, and he doesn't get one. Derek seems content to let Peter undress him, and Peter does it quickly and efficiently. It's not the way he'd prefer to do it, but Derek doesn't need anything sexual or even romantic at the moment. 

Peter shucks off his own clothes and joins Derek in the shower, where he scrubs him down and keeps a steady stream of hopefully reassuring promises going.

"You're doing well, you're okay. You're away from her now, and you don't have to go back. I'm so proud of you, Pup. But this part is done. You're free of her."

"She wants to see the tunnels," Derek mumbles after some long moments of silence.

"Hmm. I think we have enough, we have her whole plan now," Peter says. "I would have preferred to catch her in the act, but I think it's better to have the Council's force take her now. I'll let them know."

"What if it's not enough?" Derek asks.

"It's a conspiracy to burn an entire pack to ashes, sweetheart. I have her on video planning it, and we have your testimony of her questions. She's not getting away with this."

Derek searches his face as if looking to make sure Peter's telling the truth. Then he nods. "Okay."

They finish their shower and Peter towels Derek off. "Need help getting dressed?"

Derek shakes his head. "I'm better now."

Instead of taking Derek to the sofa, Peter tucks him into bed. "Why don't you rest, Pup? I'll be right here. You haven't been sleeping. Just try to take a nap. You've had an awful day."

"You don't even know what happened," Derek says with a frown.

"I could tell by the way you were acting when you came in, Pup. You don't need to stay a word."

"She just… touched me, that's all. I couldn't stand it, though. I don't want anyone else touching me like that. No one but you."

Peter smiles. He leans down and kisses Derek's forehead. "I promise, you don't have to do it again."

Derek scoots over in the bed. "Lie down with me?"

"After I contact the Council again," Peter says. "I want them to move on Kate as soon as possible."

"But then you'll hold me?"

Peter smiles. "For the rest of our lives, sweetheart."

* * *

They stay in the next day. Peter says they should wait until they know Kate and her accomplices have been picked up before leaving the relative safety of home. The people the Council sends are good; usually they are retired hunters with plenty of skills and tricks up their sleeves. They should have no trouble dealing with Kate. But they wait, and wait, and they hear nothing.

Derek is more anxious than Peter's ever seen him. He even feels it through their pack bond — a sign the bond is stronger, but also worrying. So Peter tries to distract him.

Food doesn't work. Peter makes Derek a big breakfast with all his favorites, even steals some bacon out of Talia's house for it, but Derek just sits at the table and moves the food around his plate.

So that doesn't work. Peter's not about to give up. "Want to watch something on TV?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"We can watch in my room and cuddle?" Peter suggests.

Finally, Derek offers a smile. "Okay."

It's still early enough that cartoons are on, so Derek and Peter watch Wile E. Coyote get repeatedly thwarted by Road Runner.

"What's his middle name, do you think?" Peter asks.

But of course Derek has an answer. "Ethelbert. It's in the comics."

"You continually amaze me," Peter says with a smile.

"Because I'm a nerd?" Derek asks.

"No. Yes, I don't know. You're just you. And I love you," Peter says.

"Well if you ever need a partner for Trivial Pursuit…"

Peter laughs and kisses him. Then his phone rings.

Kate was tipped off, and she's gotten away. Vanished like a ghost.

* * *

The next few days are uncomfortable for Derek.

"You both should have come to me from the beginning," Talia says. The three of them are alone in her home office, which is soundproofed so none of the pack can hear what is said.

"At first we only had a hunch," Peter says. "I'm the Left Hand. You usually don't want to hear about what I'm doing."

"I do when it involves my son!" Talia says. "You put him in danger with this stunt. How dare you use him to get information?"

"Mom," Derek says. "It was my decision."

"You are a child," Talia says.

"No, I'm really not," Derek says. 

"Tell her," Peter urges.

Derek looks at him and knows he's right. He sighs.

"What does he mean?" Talia asks.

"Technically, I'm about the same age as Peter," Derek says. "I was in the otherworld for a decade, where time runs a little differently."

Talia frowns. "Nonsense. Why would the stories say a night away is a hundred years in the mortal world, if it ran that way."

Derek snorts. "Do you think it's constant? That there's some kind of _science_ at work? It's fae magic and it's unpredictable."

Talia doesn't look convinced. "You can't expect me to believe you've become twenty-six overnight."

"I lived every single moment of those years I was away," Derek says. He isn't angry, just tired. 

"I'll have to talk to Deaton about this. I just can't believe… You _look_ sixteen."

"Fae magic," Derek says. It's the only explanation he has. "And there's something else." He looks at Peter, sees the slight widening of his eyes.

Talia looks between them. "What is it?"

Derek takes Peter's hand and is bolstered by the tight squeeze he gets. "We've decided to mate."

"What?" Talia asks, low but sharp.

"We love each other, and we're a good fit," Peter says. "We aren't asking for your blessing, though it would be appreciated. We just thought you should know."

Talia's eyes burn red. "My _blessing_?"

Her alpha power is strong, but it hasn't affected Derek since his return. He can see Peter cringe, though. 

"Mom, stop." Derek sighs. "You can't control who I love any more than you can change the way the wind blows."

Talia ignores him and faces Peter. "How dare you do this? I can't believe I trusted you. I should have known better after that stunt you pulled with Paige. What was it, were you jealous of the little human girl so you had to get her killed?"

"Mom—"

"And you," Talia says, turning back to Derek. "How could you forgive him for that? So much that you think you've fallen in love with him?"

Derek is annoyed now. "I don't just think I love him, I _do_. I'm not a child. I know my heart, and my wolf has chosen him, too."

"If you go through with this, you are out," Talia says to Peter.

"What?" Peter says.

"I will disown you as my brother, as my Left Hand, and… as a packmate."

"Will you disown your own son, too?" Derek asks.

Talia's face goes through several expressions before settling on 'stern Alpha bitch'. "This is not happening."

"Just saying that doesn't make it true," Peter says. "Derek is my chosen mate. You know what that means."

"You would give your pack up, risk becoming an omega?" Talia asks. There's a soft break in her otherwise strong voice.

"Mom, stop trying to kick us out of the pack, you know you're bluffing," Derek says. "You wouldn't want to lose us both, and that's exactly what would happen. I've chosen my mate. Peter loves me, and I love him. Just find a way to deal with it, would you?"

Talia is silent for a long moment. 

"Should we leave?" Peter asks. He looks so brave, standing in front of his alpha, daring her to kick him out. Through their bond, Derek knows he's nervous. But he's also resolved. He won't be giving in.

Talia lets out a long sigh and sits back in her chair. "No. I… I need time. Let me think about this."

"If we could get back to the matter at hand," Peter says, clearing his throat, much more relaxed now that he's sure Talia isn't going to kill him. Derek squeezes his hand and gives him a reassuring smile. Peter smiles softly back. He has that look in his eye he gets right before kissing starts, but since they're in their alpha's office, that won't happen. 

"Yes," Talia says, looking much more composed, herself. "What do we know about this hunter woman?"

"Kate Argent. Only daughter of Gerard. Someone on the Council tipped her off, or maybe told her father and he warned her. Either way, she's gone. I went to her apartment and there's not a trace of her left."

"Do you think we're still in danger?" Talia asks.

Peter tips his head, considering. Derek nods.

"Derek?" she asks.

"Kate won't stop until she's either dead or has burned us to the ground," Derek says. "She's… I hesitate to say 'evil' as if she's a comic book villain, but I can't think of another word that fits her better."

"So we need to be on our guard," Talia murmurs. "I'll have Deaton renew the wards."

"She fixated on Derek," Peter says. "We need to protect him."

Derek would like to think he's in no more danger than the rest of the pack, but Peter's right. If Kate goes after an individual instead of the pack as a whole, it will be him that she targets.

* * *

They are on their guard for the next few days, but hypervigilance is only sustainable for so long before it begins to wear on people. A week goes by, and then another, with nothing happening. Derek goes back to school.

Maybe Kate's really gone. The Argents have connections all over the world — she could be anywhere.

His mother has assured them that Deaton has renewed the wards, even adding anti-fire protections to them when he hears of Kate's full plan. (Why there weren't already protections against fire on a wood house isn't known.)

Joe, Derek's father, has given Derek and Peter his blessing to mate. But Talia asks Derek to wait until he's legally eighteen before making it official. Derek sees her point — it's not something they can hide, once it happens, and other packs might look askance at their relationship while he's presumably underage.

"I doubt anyone will believe the 'He spent ten years growing up in the Otherworld' line of thinking," Talia says ruefully.

"I don't really want to wait," Derek says. "I'm sure Peter cares more about propriety, but honestly, living with the Fair Folk left me with less fucks to give."

Talia's eyes widen for a moment, then she asks, "Just think about waiting? For me?"

Derek frowns. "I'd feel safer with a mate bond, too."

"Oh, hon," Talia says, coming closer and reaching out to touch his hair. He doesn't shy away. "I'm sorry. You've been through so much. But honestly, I'm still reeling from your relationship with my brother. Your _uncle_."

"I know incest isn't as taboo among the supernatural," Derek says. "Especially in our family. I mean, nobody's done it recently that I know of, but it's pretty clear in the pack histories that the Hale pack has never cared."

Talia sighs. "You're right. It's not written down, but I had aunts who were together. They were sisters who mated. It's not unheard of."

"Hm, Peter didn't mention them," Derek says.

"He probably doesn't remember them," Talia says. "Does he really make you happy?"

"He does," Derek says with a reassuring smile. "He respects me and understands me. I don't think we would have gotten together if I hadn't gone away, but it changed me into the person he loves."

"Pup, that's not true," Peter says, walking into the room. He comes straight to Derek and wraps arms around him. "I think we probably always would have ended up together. Not right away, but once you grew up? You're not a fundamentally different person. You just had some life experience."

Derek feels a warmth in his chest and has to swallow down some emotions so he doesn't start crying like a child. "You think so?"

Talia clears her throat. "I think I'll go check and see how Cora's coming along with her homework."

Derek's attention is on Peter, anyway. "She wants us to wait to mate."

Peter rolls his eyes. "Of course she does."

"I would have thought you'd agree with her. She thinks other packs might think it's… not right. If you mate me while I'm technically under the age of consent."

"Talia's stalling," Peter says. "Sure, someone might take issue, but if they hear our story and see us together and still think we're wrong, that's on them. I don't give a damn. You're mine, and I'm yours, and we're going to make it official."

"Dad gave his blessing," Derek says.

"I wonder if that's before or after he promised to gut me slowly if I hurt you," Peter muses.

"Dad said that? _Dad_?" Derek says. It's a little unbelievable. Joe is a pacifist, the peacemaker in the family. He's the mildest person Derek has ever met, and human to boot.

"Joe has hidden depths," Peter says with a grin. "I never used to respect him much, but now I can definitely say I do. I never knew he had it in him. And to threaten the Left Hand so creatively…"

"Did he scare you?" Derek asks, still trying to wrap his head around this.

"Little bit," Peter admits.

Derek laughs and kisses him.

* * *

A week later, Peter is running late by five minutes. He's supposed to be at the high school, picking Derek up. He feels anxiety through his pack bond with Derek and curses. He shouldn't be making Derek feel that way.

But then the anxiety spikes, turns to utter terror in a split second, and Peter speeds through an amber light that turns red as he's crossing through the intersection. And then…

Then his bond to Derek goes quiet. He's right at the school when he sees an SUV speeding away. He chases it, but he's not driving his own car. He's in Talia's minivan, and it won't keep up. He knows Derek is in that SUV, knows without a doubt that Kate Argent is the one driving. The license plate has mud on it and he can't read the numbers.

He takes a gamble and guesses where she's headed, then takes a shortcut to get there ahead of her. He tries to block the road so she'll be forced to stop or have an accident. Unfortunately, he didnt figure on her being fucking insane, and watches in dismay and impotent rage as she simply drives off the road for a moment and then is back on her way again.

He doesn't have any more tricks, he doesn't know where she's going, and there's no way to chase her in this car. If he was driving his own car, he could have caught up with her. But his car wouldn't start this morning so he had it towed into the dealership to be fixed.

He wasn't suspicious at the time, but now he knows it was planned from the beginning.

Kate drives out of view, and Peter howls in outrage and fear. He shouldn't have let Derek out of his sight until Kate was caught or killed. He shouldn't have let Derek go back to school. He should have _thought_. Now Derek is gone off to be tortured or killed or…

He turns around and rushes back to the pack house to tell Talia what's going on. Maybe they can launch some kind of plan to get Derek back. Maybe Deaton can scry for him. Peter will call the Council — all of the members, not just a handful, in case more are in league with the Argents. There are options, and Peter's going to figure out what they are.

* * *

Derek wakes confused, because he's not lying down. He looks from side to side but he can't move his arms. He's bound, attached to a chain link fence, and he can feel a low level current running through him, keeping him from shifting, keeping him weak.

"Oh good, you're awake!" Kate says, coming into view. She's got something in her fist he can't identify.

Derek rattles his chains and roars. Kate laughs, looking genuinely amused.

"It's odd, I never really thought I had you completely," she says. She comes closer and swings his pendant in front of his face. "But look what I found!"

He can feel the blood leave his face as ice-cold terror fills him. "No."

She grins. "Oh, yes."

"That's…"

"Oh, I figured it out," she says. "You were blocking my borrowed magic. You know I got it tailor-made just for you, Derek?"

He flinches at his name on her lips.

"You were _supposed_ to fall in love with me, tell me all your pack's secrets, and then BOOM. Fire," Kate says, and the way she says the word is a caress. "Oh, I'd probably spare you. I would have. I think living with the knowledge that you sealed their doom would have been bad enough."

She walks over to a table and picks up a small blowtorch. Then she comes back with it, lighting it. He tries to rear back, but he can't pass right through the fence, can he?

"But now I think you should be the one to burn," Kate tells him. 

He closes his eyes and reaches through his bond to Peter, but it's just a pack bond, not a strong mate bond. Peter won't find him in time. He's too far away — Derek can feel that much. Peter is frantic, but he sends love, so much love, and Derek smiles to himself. As scared as he is, as sure he will die, he still smiles. He has Peter. He's not alone.

* * *

"Well?" Talia asks impatiently.

Peter snarls at Deaton when he doesn't answer quickly enough. 

"I'm sorry, it takes time to scry," Deaton says.

"My son doesn't have time!" Talia says.

Peter just wants to rip into the emissary and make him work faster, but he knows that wouldn't help. His wolf is pacing, growling, not understanding why Peter doesn't do something _now_.

"Give me some space and I will work as quickly as possible," Deaton says, though his calm seems to be breaking.

"Peter, come on. Do as he says," Talia says.

Peter looks at her, not knowing what he wants from her.

She hugs him and he lets her. "I know."

They wait. It seems to take forever. Talia sits with balled, clawed hands. Blood seeps from her fists and drops on the floor, but she seems unaware. She is starting to smell of grief and despair. 

Peter paces and wonders which deity he would pray to, if he was a praying man. He sends a thought into the universe as a whole, that he will get his mate back, that he won't lose something he never thought he'd find. 

Suddenly, they are joined by two others, and Talia stands quickly when she sees them.

It is Elrinae and Kega, the fae folk who took Derek away at the beginning, who Derek told Peter he had the most contact with in the otherworld.

"Let us help," Elrinae says. Kega says nothing. 

"My son is missing, taken by a hunter. Please, can you find him?" Talia asks immediately.

"Of course," Kega says imperiously. She reaches out and grabs Peter's arm. "Come along."

"Wait," Peter says. "What will we owe you?"

"Now is not the time for this!" Talia says to him. "Just whatever they want. Peter, this is my son. your mate. Please."

But Peter knows enough of the fae, and the things Derek has said since he's been back have only cemented his distrust.

Kega opens her mouth but Elrinae shoots her an irritated glance that makes her close it immediately. 

"We're doing this for Tender because we have affection for him. This is only an act of… kindness. You will owe nothing, and neither will he."

"Then take me to him, please," Peter says.

Talia seems baffled but she seems hopeful now. "Wait, what about-"

But then the room shifts, shimmers, and Talia's words are cut off. She was probably wondering why she wasn't coming, too. Peter wonders about that as well, but there's no time. He enters a room with the fae. It is dark, and his eyes immediately go to Derek, chained to an electrified fence. Kate is burning him.

But there is no sound. No scent. There is no movement.

"We've slowed time," Elrinae explains. "It's as close to stopping it completely that we can do. Now, save him."

Peter doesn't have to be told twice. He's already on his way to save Derek. He pushes Kate away from Derek, so hard that she flies across the room. He doesn't wait to see if she's still alive, just puts his his strength to work on Derek's chains. 

The expression on Derek's face is strange. He doesn't look like a man who's been burned with a blowtorch. Oh, his body is riddled with burns, not healing because of the electricity, but his expression…

Peter settles Derek to sit on the floor. He hears a loud noise and realizes the fae have done something to the generator. Flames leap up, but then extinguish just as quickly as they appeared.

Peter's attention returns to Derek. "Pup," he says softly.

"Would you like us to return time?" Kega asks.

"No," Peter says after a moment. "Can you… can you bind her to the fence, the way she had him?"

Kega smiles nastily. "it would be our pleasure."

Peter carries Derek a safe distance away, cradling him close. Kisses his hair as the fae point at Kate and slam her back against the fence. 

Once she's bound, then Peter says, "I suppose time should be running normally, now."

He keeps his eyes on Derek, wonders why he doesn't blink awake as Kate starts yelling.

"Who are you? Where… what are you doing?" she screeches. 

"Pup, wake up," Peter says, stroking Derek's face.

Kate laughs. "He checked out about an hour ago. It was funny. But he came back a few times when the pain got too much to ignore."

So Derek was disassociating. That's what's wrong with him now. But Peter can coax him back. "Come back, sweetheart. It's Peter. You're safe. Come back so you can watch me kill her."

He pulls on Derek through the bond, sending love and compassion through it. He doesn't feel much from Derek at first, but then there's a tentative touch Peter can feel.

"There you go, Pup," Peter croons. "You can come back now. It's safe. She's not going to hurt you ever again. Not you or anyone else. Look at me, sweetheart."

"I could help," Elrinae says. 

"No, he's got this," Peter says. "He's coming, I can feel him. C'mon, baby. Come back to me."

And then Derek's eyes focus. "You're here."

Peter smiles. "I am."

"Very fucking touching," Kate sneers. "You're sick. You're both sick."

Derek flinches at the sound of Kate's voice, but when he looks over at her predicament, he smiles. "You're a monster."

"I'm a _hunter_ , you animal, I—"

Her voice cuts off with a wave of Kega's hand. And that's when Derek notices the fae in the room.

"What?" he whispers.

"They came to help me find you," Peter says. "No strings. They just wanted to get you safe, Pup."

The two fae walk over to him. "Are you injured?"

Derek looks down at his bare chest and at the burns that are healing. "Hurts, but I'm healing."

Elrinae frowns, but Peter immediately starts draining Derek's pain. 

"It's clear the mortal world is too dangerous for you," Kega says in a bored, offhand tone. "You should return with us to our realm."

Peter's heart nearly stops.

Derek smiles a little. "While I appreciate your most generous offer, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. My pack is here, and so is my mate." He looks at Peter. "And while I'm sure Peter would follow me anywhere, if I asked him to, I don't want to take him away from the rest of his family and the Hale territory."

Kate starts banging her head against the fence to get their attention, but they all, by unspoken agreement, completely ignore her.

"Tender," Elrinae says to Derek, "we're sorry your answer is no, but we understand." Kega looks mullish at her companion's words, but says nothing more. Elrinae smiles. "Would you like us to dispose of the body once you're finished with her?"

"I know the perfect use for Kate's corpse, don't worry," Derek says.

Kega sniffs. "Well, it's good to see you learned _something_ from your time with us."

Peter looks at Derek. "Pup, I was going to kill her, but it's perfectly understandable if you want to be the one to end her life."

"I just want to go home," Derek says, tiredness starting to show around his eyes. 

"I'll be quick, then," Peter says. He gets up and stalks over to Kate. "I wish I had more time with you, but this will have to do." Then he reaches out with a clawed hand to rip her throat out. It's satisfying to see the life leave her eyes, to know it's over. 

Derek is safe. That's what's most important.

* * *

They don't wait much longer before making their mating official. Derek goes to Talia, tells her what they intend to do, and she concedes. 

"I can't tell you not to at this point, anyway," Talia says. "But do you want a ceremony before you…" She trails off uncomfortably.

He takes pity on her. "I don't care either way, but my mate does. So yeah, something traditional, I think."

Talia raises her eyebrows. "Peter, traditional?"

"He is, about some things."

"Should I invite the neighboring packs?" Talia asks.

Derek smiles. "I don't think so. Just the Hales, and we shouldn't announce it until after. For safety's sake." Gerard Argent was being investigated by the Council, but there was no guarantee. At least the Council had gotten rid of the members that had assisted Kate.

"How soon, do you think?"

"The full moon," Derek says, anticipation building inside him. "It's when Kate was planning her fiery massacre. I can't think of a better day to celebrate."

"It's the Hunter's moon. The Blood moon — but then again, you've already had your first kill together."

"I think I'll let him hunt me down," Derek says. "It's one of our oldest traditions."

Talia grins and blushes at the same time. "As long as he doesn't.. um… take you in front of the others. That's tradition, too."

Derek laughs. "No, I think we'll keep that part out. But I'll give him a good run. And what makes you think he'll be the one 'taking me'?"

She blushes an even deeper red and sputters, probably realizing her mistake when he grins wickedly and winks.

* * *

They time the ceremony so that the chase will match the rise of the full moon. The moon is sailing higher in the sky when Derek walks out to meet the pack at the nemeton, where all this began. Deaton is fully dressed, wearing a long druids robe with the hood down. Everyone else is in running shorts, and occasionally tank tops for modesty (mostly because Deaton is there). The pack will follow Peter for a short time on the chase and eventually turn away and let the mates have some privacy. In older times, they would have followed to witness the claiming. 

Now, the only witness will be the mother moon.

Derek's in a pair of shorts and nothing else. They're loose, easy to get rid of. His eyes zero in on Peter as soon as he enters the clearing. Peter's eyes are glowing gold, and Derek flashes his own blue at him in greeting.

The ceremony begins. 

"This place is sacred, so it only stands to reason we start a sacred union here. We come together to see two people we love pledge their love and devotion to each other, and to give our communal blessing," Deaton begins by saying.

Peter and Derek join hands then, both smiling a little, looking into each other's eyes. Their pack bond is swelling with joy and love, and Derek knows soon it'll be joined by an even stronger mate bond.

Derek barely hears the rest of the words, but some of them filter through his haze of happiness and nerves. 

"...someone to help us carry our burdens and share our joys…"

"...in this life and the one beyond…"

"...for as long as you both agree…"

Peter raises an eyebrow at one point and Derek shakes himself internally. "What? Oh, yes, yes, I do. I will. Forever."

Everyone laughs at his lapse but Derek is so embarrassed. 

Talia steps forward after Peter confirms all his promises as well. She says, "As alpha, I give my blessing. As a mother and a sister, I add my joy to this union, and my strength. May your bond be strong and bright and never-ending."

Deaton nods. Talia nods. Derek looks around the clearing, knowing he's about to start his run, and catches sight of two tall beings hanging back, watching. Kega and Elrinae. He smiles in their direction and turns back to Peter, already feeling the urgent need to run — and be caught. His wolf is ecstatic and ready for the chase.

"Now, by tradition and by the decision of the mates, the run will begin. As always, the younger participant will get a head start. Are you ready?" Deaton asks Derek.

Derek grins. "Yes."

"Go. The rest of the pack will follow in five minutes."

Derek takes off, hearing the pack howling for him in joy and excitement. Above all of them, he hears Peter's joyous howl, and it spurs Derek on. He partially shifts and that gives him more power and speed.

The moon is high now, right above his head, shining down on him and giving him even more strength. His plan was to go only so far, then to lie in wait so he could surprise Peter by getting the drop on him and chasing right back. 

Now, he's not so sure. His wolf is excited to be chased down by their mate. It doesn't care who mounts who, or what happens first. He just wants the thrill of the chase and the completion of the bond that started building in the Nemeton's clearing. 

He hears more howling and knows the chase has started in earnest. The pack will follow along with Peter for a while, then break off once they're close to Derek. Derek's wolf thinks they should stay and watch, to know for sure, to witness the mating in all its glory. Derek is very glad his wolf side isn't in charge.

Then, without warning, he stumbles his way into a clearing he wasn't aware of before. It feels, inexplicably, like fae magic. He stops and looks around, noticing the dancing fairy lights around an actual bed that just appeared. In the forest. There is a bed in the forest and Derek breathes a slight sigh of relief because as much as his wolf wanted it, he wasn't too keen on having his first sexual experience on the forest floor.

"Wedding present?" he asks aloud.

The pink and green and yellow lights glow just a little brighter. He guesses that's a yes.

He shucks off his shorts and brushes the dirt off his feet, pushes the soft, green covers down to the foot of the bed and lies down. He laughs. This is an even better surprise than jumping out at Peter. This might even render him speechless.

He stares up through the thin canopy of trees and whispers his thanks to the moon, to the Fair Folk, and to the universe. He's been blessed with everything he could ever want, and he's humbled and grateful. 

He lets his shift relax, and he feels his features melt back to fully human. He props himself up on one arm to watch Peter's face when he enters the clearing and sees what the fae have left for them. 

Derek was right — Peter doesn't say a word when he reaches the clearing. But then again, he only gives the props a sparing glance. His focus is entirely on Derek. 

Peter stalks over to the bed and Derek feels his heart beat harder and his cock fill completely. He's suddenly so ready for this. His wolf wants, he wants, until it's all twisted together and all he can do is flash his eyes and show his belly.

Peter's eyes burn amber at him right before he throws himself on top of Derek and kisses him.

"Finally," Peter says. He's hot, a little sweaty, and smells of anticipation and sex and excitement. 

Derek sighs into the kiss, wrapping his arms and one leg around his mate and willing him closer. Peter reaches down between Derek's legs and growls appreciatively to find Derek already slick and stretched. Of course Derek wouldn't have started the chase without making sure he was ready for anything. He's sure Peter has done the same. 

"Like this?" Peter says. His words are a slur, and Derek realizes his fangs are out. 

Derek shivers and lifts his hips. Peter shoves a pillow underneath him, putting him at a better angle. What happens next is all instinct and want, as Peter slides right inside him and moans loudly. Derek holds on and is grateful for the way Peter stills, allowing him to get used to the stretch and burn. Derek had been thorough with his prep, but Peter is larger than the dildo Derek used. 

"Love you," Peter says, staring down at him. The tips of his fangs peek out again and Derek grins up at him.

"Show me," Derek says, and vaguely remembers Deaton talking about making love and touching souls or something. It had sounded slightly corny when he heard it, but now Derek thinks he understands as the mate bond starts to grow. 

And then Peter starts fucking him. He moves slowly, not jarring him at all, but Derek's wolf is clamoring for something more.

"Listen to your wolf," Derek says, knowing Peter has to be thinking the same thing.

And then Peter growls and pulls out. "Yeah?"

They share a short, tense moment of understanding, and then Derek turns over, or is flipped over, or a combination of the two that is too fast for description. 

Derek feels claws at his sides, at his hips, and he moans and pushes back. Peter thrusts inside him and then they are fucking for real, two wolves, two men, snarling and moaning and moving in tandem. 

It can't last long at this rate. Derek is already seeking his pleasure, feeling it burn just out of reach. He moves back against Peter with every thrust until Peter growls and forces his head down and hips up further so he can do what he wants with Derek's body. And what he wants is to fuck him senseless.

It works, because Derek is out of his _mind_ with lust. He manages to get a hand around his throbbing cock but Peter growls at him. 

"Not. Yet," Peter tells him.

Peter is playing his prostate now like he already knows Derek's every reaction before he gives it. Maybe he does. The mate bond is bright behind Derek's eyelids, and his body is flying higher, almost reaching the moon.

Then he feels Peter's fangs in his shoulder and his orgasm crashes over him, into him, punching the breath from his lungs. Or maybe that's the bond cementing that takes his breath. Either way, he's left a boneless, panting wreck, and Peter collapses right on top of him, cock twitching inside Derek as his own orgasm finishes up.

Love, love, love. That's all Derek can feel. It's coming from Peter, right through the bond, but it feels like it's in his own bones. Of course it is. He's sending just as much love back.

The mating is complete. Derek couldn't be more content. So content he falls asleep, though his hand finds one of Peter's before he drifts off.

* * *

Time passes, and Derek and Peter are very happy.

"What gorgeous roses!" everyone says. Especially now, out of season, when they're still blooming blood red. 

Talia always demures. "My son tends the roses, I really don't have much to do with them."

Derek smiles. All they need is knowledge of how to take care of them. That, and the right fertilizer.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this, let me know!


End file.
